BUCKS LOCAL HISTORY NETWORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND FAIR 2016 – 1 Oct Saturday AYLESBURY - DISTRICT COUNCIL OFFICES 6 lectures and displays by local groups first lecture 10.0 finish 4.30 BUCKINGHAMSHIRE’S TIME TEAM -Recent strides in the County’s Archaeology HUMAN ACTIVITY IN THE BUCKS MIDDLE THAMES FROM 10,000BC TO ROMAN TIMES. THE EVIDENCE OF KINGSMEAD QUARRY HORTON Alistair Barclay Wessex Archaeology THE EVOLUTION OF THE LANDSCAPE IN N. BUCKS: THE EVIDENCE FROM BROUGHTON Rob Atkins, Museum of London formerly of Oxford Archaeology RESEARCHING THE IRON AGE AND ROMAN LANDSCAPES AROUND AYLESBURY Sandy Kidd, Principal Archaeology Adviser - Greater London and Eliza Alquassar, County Archaeology Officer and Assistant Inspector of Ancient Monuments, Historic England. SETTLEMENT IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE IN THE SAXON PERIOD Mike Farley, Former County Archaeologist THE SAXON AND MEDIEVAL HISTORY OF WYCOMBE HEATH, PENN, COMMON AND KINGS WOODS Miles Green, Historian of Penn THE CONTEXT OF THE LENBOROUGH HOARD Susan Fern Hon Curator of the Old Gaol Museum, formerly numismatist at National Museum of Wales BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE THEMES OF THE DAY FIRST THREE TALKS IN THE MORNING & SECOND THREE IN THE AFTERNOON At Horton, in the south, excavations have yielded a stone axe head, used by Neanderthal man, dating from approximately 300, 000 years ago. They have also found some of two of the five nationally known houses of early Neolithic man. At Broughton in the north, as at Horton, the changing use of the area has been revealed in extensive excavations. Here 19 middle iron age round houses have been discovered. Cremation remains of a late iron age date show that the north of the county was then ‘politically’ linked to the Chilterns. In a county without a major Roman town, it is sometimes thought that the Roman influence was limited to Villas in the south of the county. New evidence and thinking suggest that this was very wrong in the Aylesbury area. The Icknield Way in particular was important in both the Iron age and in Roman times with a series of farms, forts and other foci of the Icknield Belt. The end of Roman rule has raised many questions. Some of these are now nearer answers. The Saxon period has been something of a dark age posing more problems than answers. How did the native population adjust when the Romans left? When did the nucleated villages, so common north of the Chilterns, emerge? When did arable farming become dominant? What led to the development of open fields with the strips of ‘ridge and furrow'?’. Excavations and documentary records show how one of the most important areas of Chiltern woodlands and commons has a long history. Wycombe Heath was the largest of the commons and has had major influence on the modern landscape. It now houses large parts of Tylers Green, Hazelmere, Holmer Green and Penn street. The associated Penn and Kings Woods have remained untouched. The Lenborough hoard of over 5000 coins dating from the early eleventh century has yet to be fully explained but raises many questions about the state of north Bucks in that period. Ridge and Furrow is such an important feature of the county, and its neighbours. that a special display of material relating to Bucks, including Milton Keynes and well documented parishes like Haddenham and Padbury, and to Northamptonshire has been arranged. Northants enjoys a remarkable map of ridge and furrow drawn at a scale of two and a half miles to the mile and measuring 8 ft by 6ft. This map will be on display. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOOKING FORM – Prices reflect the cost of the purpose-built conference centre. (Please use capitals). PLEASE ENCLOSE STAMPED ADDRESSED ENVELOPE Tickets will be posted early in September. Please reserve……… places at £15.00 each without lunch (full-time students under 25 free) Please reserve……… places at £20.00 each with lunch Name(s): Address(es): e-mail address (PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY): Please make cheques payable to: BAS Send to: Thea van Dam, 11a, The Retreat, Princes Risborough, HP27 0JG .